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After a sharp stock market slump, we have seen a stabilisation this morning as the initial shock of recent days wears off. In the words of Robert Burns “there is no such uncertainty as a sure thing” and the US tariffs so far are proving to be anything but a sure thing.

Looking back at recent shocks such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Covid 19 and Brexit you may recall there were sharp losses but on average the time it took for markets to recover to levels immediately prior to these falls took between 9 and 14 months. Whilst no one can know if this will be the case again what we can see is that at the time of each of these crises remaining invested was the best course of action.

Markets generally don’t like uncertainty and from what we have seen of President Trump’s unpredictability it is likely that we may continue see some volatility. But we also note that consensus from market analysts is now that both the Federal Reserve in the US and the Bank of England will bring forward the speed at which rate of interest rate cuts, which should help provide more confidence.

What should you be doing now?

The short answer is nothing.

As investors we are accepting that we will experience some market volatility, however if we give way to panic and sell, we’re likely to be selling after markets have already fallen and, importantly, before they rise again. That means we lock in losses and if we miss just a few days of market recovery it can significantly impact long-term returns.’

Trying to time the markets – in other words selling investments when markets are at a high level and buying when they’re at a low level – is extremely hard and we don’t recommend it.

What if I need access to my money now?

If you are looking to retire, changing job or if your circumstances generally are changing then please let your adviser know – good planning in these market conditions can be essential to help you make the most of your money and we are here to help. 

Slow and steady wins the race

As told in Aesop’s Fable, The Hare and the Tortoise, you can be more successful by being slow and steady than quick and careless. When it comes to investing, slow and steady is usually more likely to win the race. In other words, the longer you’re invested for, the more likely you are to reap the rewards.

The graph below shows how £1,000 invested in the FTSE® 100 Index, which represents one of the UK’s main stock markets, would have grown if you’d left it for 30 years.

Over those 30 years, there have been plenty of market falls and crashes, as well as rises and bubbles. But the main takeaway here is that, over the long term, investments have the potential to grow in value significantly.

Chart showing growth of £1000

The information in this article should not be regarded as financial advice. Information is based on our understanding in April 2025. Investment growth isn’t guaranteed and it’s possible that you could get back less than you paid in.